


Ferengi Love Letters

by letek



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Wholesome, shifting pov between odo and quark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letek/pseuds/letek
Summary: Odo decides to learn how to read Ferengi and Quark hatches a plan to confess his feelings through secret love letters.
Relationships: Odo/Quark (Star Trek)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 65





	Ferengi Love Letters

The first note Odo found was on the floor near the entrance of the security station, crumpled and dirty from the countless boots that had stepped on it throughout the day. Not wanting any litter near his workspace, he picked it up to discard it. But, of course, his curious nature took control of him; he opened up the folded piece of paper and glanced at its content. It was a handwritten note in a language that he was not familiar with. The message was short- there appeared to only be a few words written on the forgotten scrap of paper. 

“What do you have there, Constable?” Jadzia appeared behind him and motioned towards the note. 

Odo grunted, “Nothing, just something I picked up off the floor.” 

Dax looked over his shoulder, “Looks like Ferengi writing to me.” 

“Ferengi? Can you read it?” 

“A little bit, but it can get pretty complex.” Dax took the note from his hands, “Though this looks simple enough. Give me a minute.” 

Jadzia focused on the piece of paper in her hands, slightly moving her lips as she tried to decipher the message. 

“Any luck?” 

“Yeah, I think I’ve got most of it. One second.” She paused as she figured out the final letters. “Well, it’s not very exciting. It’s just a list,” she shrugged and handed the note back to Odo. 

“A list of what?” 

“Looks like a list of things the person had to do that day-” she pointed to the words as she read them, “‘ _Message Rigal, arrange meeting, re-examine earnings_.’ That’s all it says.” 

“Well, thank you for the translation.” 

“Anytime, Constable. It’s nice to know I’ve still got it,” Jadzia flashed him a smile and left him standing there, pondering the note. 

Odo entered his office and sat at his desk. He fiddled with the piece of paper in his hands, not entirely wanting to throw it away. He didn’t know why the mystery of this note drew him in so much. In actuality, there was no mystery behind it at all- it was a simple laundry list that shouldn’t have even been given so much attention in the first place. 

Odo stood up and threw the paper in the trash. 

A few weeks later, Odo found a second note lying on the ground as he was patrolling the Promenade. This letter was folded a few times and had more writing on it than the other one he found- maybe a couple sentences. Once again, it was Ferengi script. Odo felt his curiosity pique, as it was wont to do. There was one problem, however. Commander Dax was currently off station and he didn’t know anyone else who could translate it for him. Well, except for the Ferengi aboard the station, but Odo knew that Quark wouldn’t do him a favor without something in return. 

There was always Rom... 

Odo made his way to the bar to try and find the brother who was actually nice enough to help a person in need. Unlike Quark, Rom had a heart. Thankfully for Odo, Quark was nowhere to be seen and he immediately spotted Rom near the dabo table. 

Odo walked up to him, “Rom, I need your help translating this note I found.” 

Rom stammered, “Uhh, me? D- don’t you think my brother would be better to help you?” 

“You can read Ferengi, can’t you?” 

“Well, yes, that’s all I can read but-” 

Suddenly, Quark sprinted up behind Odo and glared at Rom, “What’s going on here?” 

“N-nothing, brother.” 

Odo turned to face Quark, “I was simply asking him to translate a note that I found.” 

Quark shooed Rom away with a quick flick of the wrist and Odo rolled his eyes. 

Quark shifted his glare to Odo, “You’re getting in the way of my business. Leave.” 

Odo harrumphed, “Can’t you tell me what it says, Quark? Or would it be too much mental effort for you to read a simple note?” 

Quark guffawed, “You're not getting free labor from me. Or my brother.” 

Odo grunted and turned to leave. 

“And, Odo? It appears that _you’re_ the one who’s going through a lot of effort to read a note that someone threw on the ground.” 

Odo left the bar and walked to his office, sitting down at his desk. He decided that if Quark wasn’t going to help him, then he would have to learn how to read Ferengi for himself. 

In truth, Odo didn’t really understand why he was going through all of this trouble to read a note that was most likely inconsequential. He told himself that it was because the letter might contain a clue to an illegal Ferengi operation. Since Ferengi are not to be trusted, it was in his best interest as security chief to know if any criminal activity might be taking place. Deep down he knew that was just an excuse, but that didn’t stop him from trying to convince himself it was the truth. 

For some unknown reason, the Ferengi language drew him in and he desperately wanted to understand it. The script was unlike anything he’d seen before. It looked so foreign, yet it felt so familiar. He found the shapes of the letters and the way the words extended from a middle hexagonal point to be reminiscent of some kind of art- an art form that he couldn’t comprehend yet he was still somehow able to understand its inherent beauty. Odo decided that, with or without Quark’s help, he would eventually come to know what was on that note. Someday, he would be able to understand the art of the Ferengi language. So, he turned on a PADD and started to study. 

It had been a few days and Odo had only gotten through a couple words of his translation. Apparently, the Federation computers didn’t have a lot of information on the Ferengi language- not as much as he needed anyway. The note was laying atop a stack of his PADDs one day when Jadzia came into his office. As she was talking to him about a Klingon she once knew, she saw the piece of paper and picked it up. 

“You found another note?” 

“Yes, a few days ago when you were away on that mission with Major Kira. I’ve been trying to translate it but the Federation computers have limited information on the language.” 

“Doesn’t surprise me. The Ferengi usually learn other species’ languages, not the other way around. They say it’s good for business.” 

Odo rolled his eyes, “Of course it is.” 

“And since they don’t much care for the Federation, they certainly haven’t given us any dictionaries.” 

“Who would have guessed the Ferengi would be so secretive?” 

Jadzia chuckled, “I can try to translate for you again.” 

“Only if you have the time.” 

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she sat down on the chair in front of Odo’s desk and immediately got to work. “You don’t happen to have paper and a pencil, do you? It might be easier if I can write it down.” 

Odo opened one of the drawers of his desk and rummaged in the back to find the items. The piece of paper he had was crumpled and there was already something written on it. He turned it over and tried to smooth out the wrinkles as he slid it, and a pen, over to Dax, “Uh, here.” 

Jadzia smirked, “Thanks.” 

Odo knew the translation might take her a while to work out, so he turned on a PADD and started going through some shipping logs. 

After about 10 minutes, Jadzia spoke up, “I think this is a love poem.” 

“A poem? Written by a Ferengi?” 

“I know you wouldn’t think so, but some of them can be very romantic,” she grinned at him. 

Odo harrumphed, “I’m sure.” 

Dax took a few more minutes to finish fully translating the note, working out each letter and word on the paper in front of her. 

She tapped the pen on her chin, “I think I’ve got it.” 

“Go on.” 

Jadzia hesitated and, after a few moments of silence, Odo raised his brow, “Is there something wrong?” 

“No, sorry. It just feels a little strange to read this to you.” 

“Why?” 

“Well, it’s just- never mind, here it is:

‘ _Do you remember when I was working as a_ dabo _boy?_

_I know I shouldn’t have let you win,_

_but the way you looked at me made my head spin._

_That night we spent together gave me everlasting joy_.’” 

Odo was silent for a moment, in utter disbelief that a poem like that could really be the Ferengi text he had tried so hard to decipher. Finally, he asked, “That’s what was written on the note?” 

Jadzia smiled, “Mhmm.” 

Odo furrowed brow, “Okay then.” 

Dax stood up and handed the note back to Odo, “Well, I better be going.” 

“Uh, yes. Thank you for taking the time to help me again.” 

“Of course,” she said as she walked out onto the Promenade. 

Odo eyed the note in his hand. He couldn’t believe that a Ferengi could write something so... genuine. He went to go throw it in the trash but, just like with the first note, something stopped him. Sure, he ended up throwing the first note away, but this one felt different. For some reason, he wanted to keep it. He knew that he would feel guilty if he discarded this little piece of art. So, he opened the top drawer of his desk and hid it away. 

A few days later, Odo went to Quark’s to participate in his daily stake-out of the bar, making sure nothing criminal was happening on his station. He was sitting at the counter when Quark came up to him, “So, how’s the Ferengi learning going?” 

“What?” 

“Dax told me that you’re learning how to read Ferengi. Just wondering how that’s working out for you.” 

“It would be going better if the Ferengi would cooperate with the Federation and teach them the language.” 

Quark scoffed, “Contrary to popular belief, the Federation isn’t owed anything. And they certainly don’t need to know everything.” 

“Only a species that has something to hide would think that.” 

“We value our privacy.” 

“Yes, I’m sure that’s it.” 

Quark grinned as he leaned over the bar and got closer to Odo, “You know if you ever need a teacher, I can offer you my assistance.” 

“For a price?” 

“Well, of course for a price. I’m sure we could work out something that’s... agreeable. For the both of us.” 

“I’ll pass.” 

Quark shrugged his shoulders, “Suit yourself.” 

The next time Odo was at the bar, Quark handed him a note written in Ferengi. 

“What does this say?” 

“You’re the Ferengi, read it on your own.” 

“Odo, I’ve been working all day- my eyes are tired and my vision is blurry. Just tell me what it says.” He softened his voice, “Please.” 

Odo sighed and glanced at the note. He had been continuing his study of the language but his understanding of it was still mediocre at best. At least this note only appeared to be a few words. Perhaps, he’d have a chance at comprehending it. 

He glanced at the note, “It’s my name, Quark.” 

“Really, how do you know?” 

“Because it’s my name. It’s written right here- ‘Odo’.” 

“Your name, huh? Seems suspicious that the note is about you, don’t you think?” 

“Stop whatever game you’re playing, Quark.” He tried handing the note back. 

“Seriously, Odo, someone just handed this to me. I have nothing to do with it,” Quark put his hands in the air in an effort to convey his innocence. “Is that all it says?” 

Odo sighed again, “No, there’s more. But you know that. Because you wrote it.” 

“I swear by the greed of Exchequer, I didn’t write it, Odo. Just tell me what the rest says.” 

“‘Odo is a...” He took a few moments to work out the final word, “‘Fascist.’” 

“’Odo is a fascist.’ Well, I am sorry you had to read that,” Quark feigned shock. “Whoever wrote that must really have it out for you.” 

“Ha ha, very funny,” Odo deadpanned. 

Quark grinned and winked at him, “Just wanted to see how much you knew.” 

\--------------------- 

After realizing that Odo had started to understand Ferengi fairly well, Quark began dropping bits of paper in the promenade for him to find. He didn’t understand Odo’s obsession with picking up and deciphering every note he found, but he sure as hell was going to have fun with it. The first notes he planted for Odo were relatively innocuous- daily lists or little things he needed to remember that he wrote down throughout his day. After doing that for a few weeks, he decided to perform a little experiment. He got out a piece of paper, tore the edge off, and wrote, ‘Cargo bay 3 1700’ on it. Quark wanted to see if Odo was actually reading his notes and if he was nosy enough to follow what this one said. So, he crumpled it up slightly and dropped it on the ground as he walked past the security office. 

At 1700 hours, Quark walked into cargo bay 3. If Odo was there, he knew that he would be disguised as something else. So, he paced up and down for a few minutes and fiddled with some of the equipment that was in the room. After about 10 minutes, Quark heard Odo shift behind him. 

“Looks like your criminal friend didn’t show up this time, Quark.” 

Quark turned around to face him, “Spying on me again, Odo? You know I should report you for harassment.” 

“I’m simply doing my job.” 

“Uh huh, I’m sure that’s all this is.” 

Odo narrowed his eyes, “What's that supposed to mean?” 

Quark chuckled, “Nothing.” 

“Who are you waiting for?” 

“I’m not waiting for anyone. Well, not anymore.” 

Odo eyed Quark suspiciously, “Then get out of the cargo bay. You shouldn’t be in here anyway.” 

Quark put his hands up, “Whatever you say.” 

They both began to make their way to the exit. 

“I don’t know why you even bother anymore, Quark. You can’t hide from me.” 

Quark grinned and looked into his eyes, “Who said I wanted to?” 

Odo scoffed. 

Quark always knew that he was attracted to Odo, but it wasn’t until about a year ago that he realized his feelings might go a little deeper than plain physical attraction. At first, he denied it and told himself that he was being crazy. But as time went on, his feelings for Odo grew more intense and he began to accept them for what they were. Quark sometimes even liked to tell himself that Odo reciprocated his feelings. It was in the way that Odo looked at him or stood a little too close to him. Or the way that Odo was a little too preoccupied with him, simply under the guise of being chief security officer. Quark liked to think that these things might be indicators of Odo’s own feelings towards him and sometimes Quark really did believe they were. He knew that, realistically, Odo hated him just as much as he said he did and that there was no hidden affection underneath the surface. But, hey, a Ferengi can dream. 

That still didn’t deter Quark from having some fun with his little fixation on the constable. Now that he knew Odo was reading the scraps of paper he left around, he was able to begin his master plan- fluster Odo with secret love notes. The problem was that Odo might automatically assume the notes are from Quark if he uses the same paper and puts them in the same spots. So, Quark bought a new stack of paper in various bright colors and started dropping them in random places on the Promenade. The chances of Odo finding the paper were less than if he kept placing them at his door, but it was a risk Quark was willing to take. He didn’t want Odo to know it was him who was writing the notes. There were enough Ferengi living on the station and others coming and going that Quark was confident he wouldn’t be the prime suspect. 

One night, Quark sat down at the desk in his quarters and began to write his first note to Odo. He twirled the pen in his fingers, trying to think of what he should say in his big confession. Quark knew there was a time and a place for sappy declarations of love and this certainly wasn’t one of them. So, he decided to keep it light: _If I had to choose between you or_ _latinum_ _... I’d probably choose the_ _latinum_ _, but I promise you’re a close second._

The next morning, Quark walked the through the Promenade and dropped the note next to the Banzai Institute on the first floor. That area didn’t get a lot of traffic, so he thought the chances of Odo picking it up on one of his patrols were good. 

For the rest of the day, Quark’s mind constantly went back to that note, and to Odo. He desperately wanted to know whether Odo found it and translated it already. He wanted to know what Odo thought when he first read it, if he liked it. Sometimes these obsessive thoughts frustrated him to no end. It felt like he was a schoolboy again- like when he had a crush on the quiet boy who sat in front of him in business class. Quark’s mind was so distracted thinking about Odo that he even forgot to charge a customer for one of their drinks! 

The worst thing was that Odo had only visited him once that day and it was all just security talk. He never mentioned if he found the note. But why would he? It’s not like he mentioned any of the others before. 

As Quark made his way back to his quarters for the night, he was relieved that the day was done. Business had been unusually high that day- the decibel level even reached 89 at one point. It didn’t help that his mind had been racing all day, too. He immediately went to his desk to write the next note to Odo. This one was easy to come up with- the thought had been on his mind throughout the day: _My feelings for you fall on me like a_ _glebbening_ _._

He tore off the small strip of paper that the words were written on, then went to bed. 

The next day had been going much more smoothly for Quark than the one before. After he dropped his second note on the floor of the Promenade, he didn’t think too much about it. He was busy going over all of the profit that he made yesterday. 

It wasn’t until Odo walked into the bar around midday that he remembered the note he left that morning, and all of his feelings flooded back into him. He had his back turned to the entrance but, like always, he could hear Odo coming. His heart beat faster with every step Odo took towards him. Quark turned around as he heard him sit down. 

Quark put an obnoxious grin on his face, “What can I get for you today, Constable? A Tarkalean tea, perhaps?” 

“You know that was never funny and it never will be, Quark.” 

“Who knows, if I keep trying maybe it’ll land one of these days.” 

Odo scoffed, “Don’t count on it.” 

“So, have you come to intimidate me from my life of high crime as usual?” 

“Not this time, surprisingly.” 

Quark waited for Odo to elaborate, but he didn’t. 

“Then to what do I owe the pleasure?” Quark leaned his elbow on the bar top, now just inches away from Odo’s face. 

“I need your help actually.” 

Quark put his hand on his chest, “My help? Why, Odo, I thought you’d never ask.” 

Odo frowned, “I’ve encountered a Ferengi word that I can’t translate and it doesn’t appear to be in the Federation database.” 

“Well, you’ve come to the right place, my friend. I happen to be fluent in Ferengi.” 

Odo rolled his eyes, “Obviously. So, what’s it going to cost me? 

“What?” 

“Your translation of the word.” 

“Oh yes. Uh, for you,” Quark tapped his chin, “nothing.” 

Odo knit his brow, “Nothing?” 

Quark shrugged, “Nothing.” 

“What’s in it for you?” 

“Believe it or not, translating one word doesn’t take a lot of effort. But if you want me to charge you I will.” Quark held out his hand, “Give me a strip of latinum.” 

“A strip?” Odo scoffed, “In your dreams.” 

“Always,” Quark chuckled. “Just tell me the word, Odo.” 

“I believe it is: ‘glebbening’.” 

Quark’s heart jumped- his note. That’s what he wrote in his note from this morning. And Odo found it. And he read it. 

“Quark? Do you know what it means?” 

Quark snapped back into reality, suddenly embarrassed as he realized that he must have been making a stupid face. 

Quark tried to act nonchalant, “Uh yeah, of course. It’s a type of rain.” 

“A type?” 

“It’s always raining on Ferenginar. So, we have a lot of words to differentiate each kind,” he shrugged. 

“What kind of rain is a glebbening?” 

“It’s a hard, constant downpour.” 

“Hmm, I see.” 

Quark didn’t know what else to say- his head was spinning. Talking to Odo about the note that he wrote for him was surreal. Odo got up from the stool he was sitting on and placed a couple slips of latinum on the bar for Quark. 

“Thanks for the help.” 

Quark opened his mouth but nothing came out and by the time he had thought to say, ‘You’re welcome’, Odo was already gone. 

Quark sighed and muttered under his breath, “Blessed Exchequer, help me.” 

\------------------- 

It had been about a week since Odo found any Ferengi notes. As ridiculous as it might sound, he felt slightly disappointed. Of course, he knew the notes weren’t meant for him, but he really did enjoy reading them. 

For years, Odo had been trying to dismiss the way he felt about Quark. He didn’t like to admit it, but being around the Ferengi made him feel different than being around anyone else. Quark made him feel like he was a regular person. He didn’t make him feel like an outsider. Quark treated him like everyone else, like a friend, and deep down he liked that. These Ferengi notes only exacerbated his feelings. Sometimes, he would fantasize that Quark was the one writing these love letters to him. But he always stopped himself when he began that path of thinking. It was completely ridiculous, and he was ashamed of being attracted to a criminal like Quark. Well, at least he should be. 

Earlier that day, Odo had noticed some suspicious activity in Quark’s shipping logs. No doubt another instance of Quark cavorting with a criminal to smuggle illegal goods onto the station. So, he made his way across the Promenade towards the bar- eager to interrogate the Ferengi. 

He walked in and saw that Quark was standing near the dabo table with a pained expression on his face. As Odo walked up to him the crowd cheered and yelled, “Dabo!” 

Quark’s shoulders dropped as he put his head in his hands. 

Odo patted his shoulder, “Tough luck.” 

Quark turned to face him. The frustrated expression on his face reminded Odo of every time he caught Quark in the act of an illegal dealing. Odo liked seeing that look on him. 

Quark growled, “That hew-mon is going to steal all my profit by the end of the night if he keeps it up like this.” 

Odo followed Quark as he began walking back to the bar, “Oh, I’m sure the house will find a way to get the money back. You always do.” 

“I hope so,” Quark scowled as he picked up a glass and started to aggressively polish it with a towel. 

“Through completely fair and legal means, of course.” 

Quark narrowed his eyes at Odo, “Is there something you wanted? Because I’m not in the mood to chat.” 

“I came to tell that I know what you’re doing.” 

“That’s it? You know what I’m doing? Yes, I know. You always know what I’m doing.” 

“I mean, I know about the questionable shipment you received yesterday from a Nausicaan freighter.” 

Quark stopped rubbing the glass in his hand and sighed, “There was nothing questionable about that shipment, Odo. It was just a few crates of Saurian brandy.” 

Odo leaned over the counter and got closer to Quark’s face, “I don’t believe you.” 

Quark backed away slightly, “You don’t have to believe me.” 

Odo hooked one finger under the collar of Quark’s shirt and brought the Ferengi closer to him. He saw Quark’s chest begin to rise and fall faster than it usually did. Odo always took great pleasure in eliciting these types of reactions from Quark. 

“You know I’m going to get to the bottom of this sooner or later, Quark. I don’t understand why you feel the need to lie.” 

Quark’s mouth was hanging opened as he looked into Odo’s eyes. “I’m not lying,” he said breathily. 

Quark continued staring into his eyes and Odo noticed Quark’s gaze drift downwards to his lips. Odo’s mind went blank as his own gaze shifted towards Quark’s mouth- he could feel the hot and heavy breath that was emanating from it. 

After a few seconds, Odo let Quark go and backed away from the counter, “I’ll see about that.” 

Before Quark could say another word to him, Odo walked out of the bar, and away from that situation, as fast as his humanoid legs allowed. 

The next morning, Odo was still trying to shake off the events from the day before. Whenever he needed to get his mind off of something, he buried himself in his work- it was all he knew how to do to stop the constant stream of thoughts that were cluttering up his head. At midday, he began his usual patrol through the Promenade- looking for anything suspicious, ensuring peace and order to the station. Perhaps even keeping an eye out for a stray scrap of paper on the floor, but he would never admit that. 

Truthfully, Odo was proud of how skilled he had become in reading and translating Ferengi text. Whenever he found a note, his day was improved. Not solely because of the fact that, almost always, they were nice notes and he liked to pretend that they were written specifically for him, but also because they reminded him of how far he’d come in his journey towards understanding the language. 

He eventually did find a crumpled-up note, it was lying on the ground near Garak’s shop. Odo immediately unfolded and read it: _When I’m with you my heartbeats deceive me- I'm grateful you don’t have_ _Ferengi_ _hearing._

Odo smiled. He appreciated how the author of the note balanced their obviously genuine affection with humor and a seeming lack of sincerity. Odo thought it was very much like a Ferengi to not take romance so seriously and he found he could relate to that. 

He pondered that note throughout the entire day, just as the scene he had with Quark the day before replayed in his head. He remembered the way Quark looked at him, almost like he was expecting something. He remembered the way Quark’s chest was rising and falling so quickly, his shallow breaths against Odo’s skin. 

And then it hit him. The shift in Quark’s breathing- his heart was beating faster. Odo made his heart beat more quickly. 

Surely, it was only because Quark was intimidated by him, afraid of Odo being so close to him. But then why did he look into Odo’s eyes the way he did? Why did his gaze rest on Odo’s mouth for a few seconds too long? Was Quark... Did Quark feel the same way about Odo as he did for Quark? Did Quark write the note? And was the note meant for Odo? 

Odo sighed and put his head in his hands. This realization, these questions were all too much. It was getting late into his regeneration cycle and he no longer had the energy to ponder all of these thoughts. So, he decided to regenerate a little early and leave the questions unanswered until tomorrow. 

\------------------------ 

Quark sighed as he wiped the bar top down. Since their heated encounter a few days before, Odo had barely come by the bar to see him or even stake anyone out. He worried that Odo was avoiding him. 

He really thought that something was going to happen- with Odo’s finger wrapped around his shirt collar, his shifted skin touching Quark’s bare chest. He couldn’t stop thinking about the way Odo’s gaze drifted downward to his mouth, as if he wanted to kiss him- maybe just as much as Quark wanted to in that moment. 

He just wanted to know if Odo felt the same way. Quark knew it was stupid, but he was so close to convincing himself that Odo did have feelings for him. He swore he could feel it. 

So, he wrote his next note- a simple question: _Do you think of me when you read these?_

Quark walked over to the security office and dropped it directly in front of the door. That way he knew Odo would find it, and Odo would know that all of these notes had been meant for him all along. 

Quark palms were sweating as he walked back to the bar. He knew that there was a slim chance Odo would even bring it up to him. But he was still nervous about being more straight-forward. 

Later that night, Odo came into the bar and sat on a stool at the end of the counter. Quark’s heart sped up as he walked over to him. 

Quark greeted him, “Constable.” 

“Quark.” 

“What brings you here so late in the evening?” 

“There are some people here that I would like to keep an eye on.” 

“I see. How about a beverage?” 

Odo frowned. 

“Makes you look less conspicuous.” 

“Oh. Right, of course.” 

Quark thought that Odo was acting strangely, like he was out of his element, even though holding a stake-out at the bar was what came completely naturally to him. Quark turned away from Odo and got a glass of water from the replicator. No need to waste anything of value on the Changeling who wouldn’t drink it anyway. 

Quark placed the glass down in front of Odo, “A glass of sparkling water from the replicator.” 

“Thanks,” Odo grunted. 

Quark grinned, “Nothing but the best for you, Odo.” 

He waited for Odo to say something in return, maybe strike up a conversation but he didn’t. So, Quark went to the other end of the bar to tend to his paying customers. After a few minutes, he glanced in Odo’s direction but he was gone. Quark went to go collect the glass of water that had been perspiring onto the countertop. As he walked up to the spot that Odo had just been occupying, he saw a note next to the glass. 

Quark picked it up and saw that there was a single Ferengi word written on it: _Always._

**Author's Note:**

> a lot of notes for this one so bear with me  
> -as i'm wont to do, i wrote this a few months ago and am just now getting the courage to post it  
> -the line about ferengi learning other peoples' languages doesn't technically make sense since universal translators exist but i'm not a fan of the universal translator and i thought it was a cool idea that ferengi would learn languages in order to have an upper hand in negotiations  
> -for all you ferengi fans, i think "glebbening" is technically a verb but i used it as a noun  
> -most importantly, the idea for this came about because i made a post on twitter asking why odo canonically knows how to read ferengi and one of my followers replied that it was so that him and quark could write love notes to each other. so thanks go to my mutual eugenia for the galaxy brain idea :)


End file.
